The present invention relates to a new use of vitamin E.
Vitamin E is known as an antioxidant and protective vitamin for phospholipids of the cell membrane. Vitamin E maintains the permeability and stability of the cell membrane; cf. Lucy, Annals N.Y. Academy of Science 203, p. 4 (1972). It is further that vitamin E has a membrane-sealing effect; cf. F. Mittel and G. Bodechtel, Munchner Medizinische Wochenschrift 110 (1968, 36: pp. 1988-1993. Vitamin E has also been found to provide a protective effect for the cell membrane in erythrocytes, the simplest cells of the human body. In both animal and human tests, it has been proven that anemia is a first signal of a vitamin E deficiency. The hemolysis of the erythrocytes will normalize upon administration of high doses of vitamin E; cf. William J. Darbey Vitamin Horm., 26 (50) pp. 685-704 (1968) and Phelps DL Pediatrics 63 (6) pp. 933-935 (1979). From these literature references, it is apparent that, after the oral administration of from 200 to 800 mg of vitamin E over a period of from 1 to 4 days, the hemolysis of the erythrocytes is significantly improved as compared to erythrocytes hemolysis in those patients suffering from vitamin E deficiency.
Vitamin E has further been used to treat sickle cell anemia over a period of from 6 to 35 weeks; cf. Natt C.L. Am. J. Clin. 33, pp. 968-971 (1980); Natt C.L. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 32, pp. 1359-1362 (1979); Gawlik G. M. Fed. Proc. 35 (3), p. 252 (1976); and Gorash L. Bieri J. G. et al., Univ. Conn. Farmington, CT.
It has further been known that a daily dose of 750 mg of vitamin E over a period of from 3 to 6 months was successfully used to treat thalassemia patients, whereupon a normalization of the hemolysis of the erythrocytes was observed; cf. Kahane I. ISR. J. Med. 12 (1), pp. 11-15 (1976).
Vitamin E has further been successfully applied to patients suffering from an acute hepatitis or an alcoholic hepatitis who have a vitamin E deficiency in serum; cf. Yoshiakawa T., Takemura S., Kato H. et al., Japan. J. Gastrovent, 74/7, pp. 732-739 (1977). Moreover, vitamin E has been used to treat patients suffering from iron deficiency anemia, in which treatment vitamin E caused an improvement or normalization of the lipid metabolism in the bone marrow to occur in the course of from 4 to 8 weeks; cf. Takoshi Itaga, Central Clinical Laboratory Nagasaki University of Medicine, Japan.
It has now surprisingly been found that combinations comprising vitamin E and vasodilators and/or blood circulation promoters are suitable for the treatment of rheumatic diseases. This new range of indications was not foreseeable from the state of the art and opens a new wide field of applications for vitamin E.